Aeroplane.



UR 1Z189387- C. B. FORWARD, Jn. 6; L. D. FGRWAR AEROPLANE. APPLIcATloN man MAH. 1916.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

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244. AEHONAuuu-s Y C. B.`FORWARD, JR. & L. D. FORWARD. AERGPLANE. APPulcATloN FILED MAvnmle.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

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ALHUNAUHLJD UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHAUNCEY B. FORWARD, JR., AND LOUIS D. FORWARD, OF URBANA, OHIO.

AEROPLANE.

Application filed May 1, 1916.

and described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of our improved aeroplane, and Fig. 2 is a front view thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine, and Fig. 4 an enlarged cross section and detail of the rack and gear mechanism for operating the movable frame for the hinged planes.

Our improved machine consists of a body 2 adapted to contain the machinery and passengers and having the form of an inverted triangle made of bamboo or tubing sections coupled together and cross-braced and guyed in any suitable way and also covered preferably to provide vertically-inclined surfaces serving as aids in maintaining vertical stability. Body 2 extends lengthwise centrally of the machine and terminates at its opposite ends in a prow 3 and a braced stern 4, the latter carrying a rudder 5. A wheeled alighting gear consisting of two reverselyinclined spring frames 6 carrying wheels 7 forms the under part of body 2, while the superstructure comprises a multiple of planes 8 of equal size, four in all, which are hinged at their front bars 9 to the upper ends of the laterally-inclined struts 9 extending upwardly at spaced intervals from the sides of body 2. The front and rear planes 8 are located on the same level, but the intermediate planes are lower and in stepped relations thereto and to each other, this arrangement tending constantly to maintain the balance of the machine in the dence in rising or lowering movements or in stabilizing the machine, the controlling 55 means for this purpose involving a verti- Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

Serial No. 94,582.

cally-movable frame 10 having separate uprights 11 supporting each plane at its rear end and each upright 11 having a toothed rack 12 at its lower end held in mesh with gear wheels 13 by suitable straps 14 aliixed to the top sides of body 2, see Fig. 4. The gear wheels 13v are carried by two shafts 15 extending longitudinally of body 2, said shafts being mounted in suitable brackets 16 at the top sides of the body adjacent each upright, see Fig. 1, and a uniform speed of rotation is given to both shafts by a short transverse shaft 17 having worm gears 1S engaging spiral gears 19 on shafts 15. A hand-wheel 20 serves to rotate shaft 17 and the worm gearing effects self-locking of the parts in the interim of rotation. Moreover, all four planes are controlled and their positions fixed by said worm gear mechanism and frame 10.

The rudder 5 is operated and controlled by cables 21 wound on a shaft 22 having a hand wheel 23, and the propelling power for the machine is obtained by two sets of propellers 24 and 25 driven by two engines 26 and 27 located fore and aft in body 2. The front propellers 24 are located preferably beneath the lateral space between the two front planes, and the rear propellers beneath the space between the two rear planes, and braced outriggers 28 extend at each side of the body to support the propellers apart therefrom and from the running or alighting gear. All the devices and partsv commonly utilized to strengthen and operate an aeroplane have not been shown in the drawings, but as these form no part of the invention, their showing would be superfluous.

What we consider new and useful and desire to claim, is:

1. In an aeroplane, a series of planes in tandem and the front and rear planes at the same elevation and the intermediate planes on a lower elevation and in stepped relation rearward, a rigid frame uniting said planes, and gear mechanism for raising and lowering said frame and planes simultaneously.

2. In an aeroplane, a main frame having vertical struts and a plurality of planes hinged thereto, in combination with a movable frame extending longitudinally of the main frame having a pair of uprights connected with the rear of each plane and said uprights having racks thereon, a set of shafts :sol

having pinions engaigil'lg said racks and a transverse shaft having worms in geared relations with said shafts.

3. In an aeroplane, a triangular frame having struts in pairs inclined laterally from agiven point to V sha-pe and a plane for each pair having a front bar hinged to said struts, in Combination with apair of vertical uprights pivotally connected to each plane and having racks on their lower ends, and means mounted upon said frame to movably support said uprights to change the angle of incidence of said plane comprising two shafts and pinions thereon engaging said racks and a single transverse shaft 15 CHAUNC'EY B. FOR'WARD, JR. LOUIS D. FORWARD.

Witnesses NV. M. RUSSELL, EDW. E. ASHING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

